1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hand luggage with multiple compartments and more particularly to the means by which the compartments are opened and closed and may be locked.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are many types of hand luggage, such as suitcases, travel bags, attache cases, vanity cases, brief cases, and the like, all of which may be defined as hand luggage for the purposes of the present invention.
Some hand luggage has a single compartment in which everything being carried is stored together, even though it may be desirable to provide for segregated storage for different types of articles. For this reason various types of hand luggage have been designed, partitioned into multiple compartments by fixed or movable walls, or by drawers, expanding sides, or the like.
It has also been proposed to provide separate compartments, each of which can be opened, directly or not, by means of an exterior opening control. Hand luggage of this type has been disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos., 698,558, 803,094, 866,459, 896,529, 1,752,948, and 3,912,055.
It would further be desirable, considering the uncomfortable plight of travelers who may be burdened with many things to carry and have both hands full, to provide hand luggage with compartments that can be separately opened with only one hand, and even more preferable if the opening operations can be performed with the same hand that is simultaneously gripping the handle. None of the hand luggage disclosed in the above-mentioned patents allow such operation; although it would be an advantage for the overburdened traveler to have such a facility in presenting a passport, travel ticket, or the like, without having to set down all the luggage and various items being carried.